Ledges Trail in Grand Ledge

The designated parking here is Fitzgerald Park. This park has a $3 entrance fee per car ($5 for non-residents). If you want to avoid this fee, park in downtown Grand Ledge and find the Riverwalk on the south side of the Grand River, just west of downtown. A good parking spot is right next to Fitzgerald Field and Island Park.

The trailhead begins at the Eaton County Parks & Rec Department office (or right next to it), but this description will be from the free parking at Fitzgerald Field in downtown Grand Ledge. About 0.6 miles in, you will come to the railroad track high above the rover. Do not walk on the tracks since this is still an active railway. 

Once you pass the railroad track, you are now in Fitzgerald Park. The large sandstone cliffs begin to appear with chances to check out the crevices and many photo opportunities. A little further into your hike, you get to Sandstone Creek where there is a small pedestrian bridge. Instead of crossing the bridge, go left and continue the trail along the massive cliffs on the south side of Sandstone Creek. At the intersection of Sandstone Creek, the main trail, and where the trail veers left is my favorite spot to get high above the cliffs. Find the trail and hike up for an awesome vista of the Grand River on one side and the Sandstone Creek on your other. This trail continues high above the cliffs for several hundred yards along the south side of Sandstone Creek.

When you’ve checked out your fill of the cliffs, you can either continue the hike into the rest of the trails in Fitzgerald Park or hike back the way you came. Without any further hiking, your total trip will be about 2.5 miles. Enjoy!